Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Project Runway 4 Recap: Episode 8

Jeff says: Marc is in Tokyo on business this week. ( I feel like I am the replacement anchor on the evening news now)

You go through life and every once in a while something catches you, for just a second, and for just that second you go - RIIIIIIIIIGHT?

Kit, our beloved prom queen from The OC was always a curio in my cabinet. Pretty to look at but not serving much purpose otherwise. I loved her personal look but she never quite delivered on PR. This week she payed the ultimate price but on her way out, she dropped the bomb that made me think she was more that she appeared to be.

She dropped the line that I live my life by, "I don't believe in regret". Life is a journey of unexpected events - go with it and do your best. Never beat yourself up with "I coulda, I shoulda, I woulda.."

Cheers Girl.

This week the challenge was to design an Avant-Garde look based on the designer's selected model's special-for-the show-hair style.

Twist 1: Designers were paired up in teams of 2, one model was a throw-away.Twist 2: Enter throw-away model to do a second Ready-To-Wear look inspired by the Avant-Garde look.

Jayne says: Ugh. Another team challenge. Has a single season of PR *ever* seen this many of them? I think not. At least this time the teams had to create two looks, thereby giving each member of the team a design voice. Oh wait...just kidding. I forgot about Rami's freak-out control fest. Didn't he get the memo that micro-managing is SO 1997?

On with the show....

The Horrid:

Jeff says: This was from Team Kit 'n Ricky, Kit was the team lead here..I look at this now and wonder, didn't we do Prom Dresses last week? This looks like something that might have been popular when Muskrat Love was a hit. Maybe her date was wearing some flared Wranglers and a vest over a ruffled shirt? Maybe she didn't have enough money for a prom dress and had to make it herself from bed sheets and satin trim from the old blankets.

I wonder if maybe it was one of those things that just became like a vortex of UGH: it was good in concept and just got worse as construction proceeded. I also recall Kit kind of haphazardly accepting a fabric suggestion at Mood. I think she would have done better with more expensive looking fabrics.

Jayne says: What the hell is Muskrat Love again? Anyways, this dress was Laura Ingalls Wilder meets Laura Ashley meets Betty Crocker meets a vacation to a Texas Dude Ranch. Its a big ol' hoop skirt of fug. For some reason though, this dress makes me hungry for buttermilk biscuits. And don't even get me started on their ready-to-wear look! Oooof!

Jeff says: BAH! Rami is now in a shame spiral fueled by yawns. This looks like last weeks dress, but in beige, oh and with pants, and then some ribbon glued on.

Soooo not imaginative and really left me wondering the same thing as the judges... "Hey Rami, what else can you do?" Seems like he is this seasons Uli: same thing over and over, but this time with less flavor.

Jayne says: Introducing the New and Improved Rami: Now with more one-note drapey dresses, bitchiness and Xanax! (as in, "I need a healthy dose of Xanax after watching his behavior in this episode". Ew.)

The Fabulous:

Jeff says: This is the winning design of the evening from Chris and Christian. Poo. Of course Christian predicted that this was the best design on the show - again. This time it was, under Christian's guidance, they stuffed 45 yards of fabric into one garment - fabulous. This was really a great team, Christian's commercial eye and Chris's drag queen scene stealing costume construction experience. It was a wonderful dress and really could have come from a high end garment house - although it was a somewhat dated look. In fact all the Avant-Garde looks seemed dated to me. In any case, it was great and Christina called out Nina Garcia, who couldn't keep the grin off her face as the model walked this down that catwalk. That says it all right there.

Jayne says: Two challenges ago, Tim Gunn made a comment about the skirt of Sweet P's dress looking like a maxi-pad. In response to that, I submit to you the INSANE collar on this dress. Talk about wings! (Ok, sorry. I couldn't resist). Actually, I loved this design and knew it would be the winner as soon as it came down the runway. Minus the maxi-pad collar, the 45 yards of fabric look *amazing*. So intricate! So interesting! So well done! And forgive me, but damn it, I'm starting to like Christian! I found him to be adorable under Chris's tutelage and not nearly as grating and squawky. I KNOW!! I can't understand it either. In related, albeit odd news, this one makes me want biscuits, too!

Jeff says: BRAVO Sweet P! This was the ready to wear component of Rami's Avant-Garde design. I love the color and the layering. I equally love that she clearly has been inspired by Rami's design style and is channeling his Greco-Roman swag-fixation. She however does it in a fresh way with length and the really great ribbon around the waist. Ima thinkin' shes gonna bump his ass off the final 3 (or 4) and make it into the finale.

Jayne says: Just. Gorgeous. So young! So chic! So something if I had better, longer legs I would wear! Maybe if I ate less biscuits. Just maybe...

Who should have won:

Jeff says: I am agreeing with judges. Chris and Christina pulled together great concept outfits executed them very was the most original of designs this and was perfectly executed.

Jayne says: Although I liked Victorya and Jillian's Avant- Garde outfit, their ready-to-wear look killed it for me. Hated it! Therefore, the judges were correct in awarding this victory to Christian and Chris. Their dress was honestly the first look I've actually been excited about all season. Word up, Team Fierce! Oh, and I totally take back my comments I made last week about Christian being a minimally talented Santino wanna-be who is just around for TV ratings. This dress took my breath away.

Who should have gotten the boot:

Jeff says: Kit sadly. Again, I am agreeing with the judges, she missed the assignment by a mile and added the secondary insult of sending in a ready-to-wear dress that looked like Little House On The Prairie meets Wet Seal.

Jayne says: Man, there were so many people to choose from last night. I'm gonna go on record right now by saying that I think its bullshit that its always the team leaders that get the auf. When is Crybaby Ricky Tearbox FINALLY gonna get the axe?! How many times has he been in the bottom now? Damn near every challenge but the last one? Jesus. Just what is it that the judges see in him anyways?! That said, I would have been OK with Rami taking a hike last night, too. Kit, I'm sad to see her go. No regrets, though! I admire people who go out with their head held high! We'll miss you, chickie!

Hmm, still not right. To quote Wikipedia "The term Valley Girl originally referred specifically to rich teen-aged girls and young women living in the rich neighbourhoods of the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California. Val is the short-hand form of the term."

That means LA County. But its ok since I doubt anyone outside of 200 mile circle would care. But here is an easy way to remember.

Valley - Clueless, Encino Man and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.

Orange County - The OC, Gleaming the Cube, Disneyland, Arrested Development, No Doubt, Social Distortion, John Wayne Airport

San Bernardino County - 909 as in area code, also a reference to a person as a '909 to say they from out there. That is about all the description I could find.